Safe and Together is Enough
by Angie63
Summary: Tag to 14x20 Back at the bunker Dean and Sam try to make sense of what happened after chick snapped his fingers and said "Welcome to the End".


Safe and Together is Enough Tag to 14x20

They made it home. Somehow they made it out of that cemetery and home. Neither Sam nor Dean spoke much as they rode through the dark night back to the bunker. They weren't really sure it was night. It just got dark when Chuck snapped his fingers and they were surrounded by their past. They just reacted. A whole lifetime of fighting evil surrounded them. All the years of doing this together, alone without Dad or Mom or anyone else surrounded them. Sam had taken the iron fence post Dean offered him and they started swinging. When it was over they stood side by side , saying nothing and then just as silently they were in the Impala and headed home.

Dean killed the engine, pulling the keys from the ignition. He was suddenly exhausted. The rush of adrenaline from the fight and flight left him. He laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. He didn't realize his hands were shaking but Sam did. Little brother reached out and placed his own hand on Dean's forearm. Dean didn't open his eyes but he felt calmer instantly

"Hey Dean", Sam said. His voice was startling in the silence they had experienced. Dean opened his eyes and turned to look at Sam. "What the hell was that?" Dean almost laughed. They hadn't spoken in a couple of hours and Sam was just now asking what the hell was that?

"I haven't got a clue. Who would have figured Chuck would want to destroy everything?" The look on Chuck's face just before he said "Welcome to the end" was something Dean was sure he would never forget.

Sam sighed. He was exhausted. There was no other way to explain it and yet even that wasn't enough. He squeezed Dean's arm again. "Let's go in." He needed space, a shower, food maybe, certainly sleep but he wasn't sure he could sleep.

Running. Hand down his face, Dean agreed. "Yeah. Home sweet bunker." He was attempting a joke but the relative safety of the bunker seemed good at the moment. Dean used to think the Bat Cave was warded and could protect them against anything but recently, Lucifer, Michael and God himself had been in. This did little to reassure Dean that the Winchesters were safe anywhere and for the first time in a long time the feeling of not being sure there was a safe place was unsettling.

An hour later Dean poured himself a glass of whiskey. He had originally gone for a beer but he needed the hard stuff. The rich liquid burned his throat a little on the first swallow and he relished that. The feeling that some things never change like the first taste of whiskey was a small comfort. He supposed food was needed but he wasn't really hungry. Still, the act of cooking would at least provide activity for the nervous pent up energy he was feeling. It needed to be simple because it was late after all and he wasn't up for anything he had to think about much. Somehow the thought of doing something for Sam made him feel better…normal. Always , always in the middle of their biggest struggles the taking care of Sam was what grounded Dean. So as usual, he did it. He opened the refrigerator and took out butter, cheese and bacon. Sam never said no to a grilled cheese. He had no idea how many grilled cheese sandwiches he had made over the years but as he had thought, doing something was good. It helped him cope with the enormity of the situation they found themselves in.

Sam, fresh from a hot shower and somewhat revived, if still shaken, toyed with the idea of just crawling into bed. He wanted to shut out the events of the night and forget monsters and evil. He knew that was an escape though and they needed a plan. They needed talk about it. This was an epic change and they couldn't afford to retreat into themselves. Somehow he knew this one could only be solved if they were united, talking and together, every step of the way. A longing for Dad pierced him. Dad would know what to do. Dad always knew what to do but Sam didn't. He was helpless right now to find an answer to this one. The smell of food caught his attention though and he headed barefoot down the hall to to the kitchen.

Dean was just putting food on plates when Sam got to the kitchen. The smell of soap and shampoo brought back memories of five year old Sam and he smiled despite himself. Growing up if Sam was clean, fed and safe for the night Dean had done his job. He liked that feeling. It was ..right. He said "Come on. Don't let it get cold." Sam sat down and he smiled at the platter of sandwiches and the bag of chips. Dean refilled his glass of whiskey and held up an empty glass at Sam eyebrows raised and Sam nodded. Dean poured some for his brother and joined him at the table.

Biting into is sandwich, Sam savored the taste. Sharp cheddar cheese, crisp thick cut bacon and grilled bread brought back good memories of being taken care of and he closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them he saw Dean looking at him almost as if he too had had the same memory.

"It's good man. Thanks.", Sam said. Dean nodded and took a few bites of his own before leaning back in his chair.

"Sam what are up against here?" Dean sounded scared and unsure and that scared Sam a little, no ,a lot. "I mean we don't know where Jack or Cas is or Chuck for that matter. And what was that ? The woman in white, that freaking clown? A little bit of whatever else we've dealt with. What game is Chuck playing there?"

"I have no clue either Dean. I keep thinking was it real? Was he just playing with us? I mean that was years of monsters and it was all dead and buried. Some of it salted and burned. How could it just come back?"

Dean shook his head. "I don't know. Chuck is God after all. Guess he could make anything happen if he wanted to. The big question to me is why after years, decades of seeming like he didn't care he's all about being involved now?One thing is clear though. Where ever Jack is, he needs to stay."

Sam felt bad about Jack but oddly he wasn't exactly grieving. The important thing was he and Dean were together. "So where did Cas go? He was there when all hell broke loose. Then I looked and he wasn't."

"Where does Cas ever go? He disappears when he 'll turn up. He always does. Dean admitted to himself that he'd been hard on Cas since his mother died. He knew Cas cared about them. He'd been with them through everything for a decade and despite the ups and downs, he knew Cas was their friend. Maybe that's why Dean knew he could lash out at Cas and it would still be okay.

Sam finished eating and stood up. He was still thirsty and he didn't need more whiskey. He went to the sink and rinsed out his glass. Opening the refrigerator, he perused the stock of drinks, settling on orange juice. Returning to the table he sat down and ran his fingers through his hair. "Again a question cause I have no answers. If everything we killed is awake is there a possibility…"

Dean finished his thought. "That Dad might be alive again? " Sam nodded. "I thought that driving home, or maybe I wanted it. I don't know Sammy. When we had him back, it seemed real. I mean I know it was just my wish or heart's desire or whatever but I'd give anything.." Tears clogged in his throat and he couldn't go on. Come on Dean, he chided himself. Don't lose it. He started gathering plates and took them to the sink. With his back to Sam he allowed the single tear to escape but willed himself no more.

Sam could read the emotion rolling off his brother like a book. He went to stand beside him. "Hey, leave this for now. We're confused and tired. I'm exhausted. Aren't you?" He put a hand on his brother's shoulder and guided him out into the library, half pushing him to the sofa. Dean sank gratefully in to the comfort of the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. Sam sat next to him, reaching for the squishy pillow he liked. He held the pillow close to him and slouched down until his head was on the crammed the pillow behind his head and began to relax a bit.

As a sleepy feeling crept over him, Dean said, " Maybe we should try to find Bobby? I know he's not OUR Bobby but he's still Bobby." Wishing for Bobby had never really stopped for Dean since he had died. They had spent many years without their trusted friend but the longing had never gone away. So many times during the trials and the Mark of Cain Dean had wished so hard for Bobby's help, just his presence. This other Bobby even though he wasn't really theirs still seemed a little like their Bobby and Dean had been grateful for him.

"Yeah", Sam murmured. "Finding Bobby would be good. Of course he might be finding us since it might seem like things are wrong everywhere."

Sam didn't want to admit it but he secretly hoped that if this was some kind of reset, some kind of reversal of the work they had done that maybe their Bobby could be back? It was so dangerous this wishing and hoping for Dad and Bobby and Sam knew they really needed to pull together and make themselves ready for the fight, whatever that entailed. But he still wished he could have those men that had guided them so much could help them.

Dean sat up. "Yeah.I mean we can't be the only people who had that darkness or maybe other hunters had some like that happen?"

Sam said, "I don't know Dean. I'm still struggling with was it real." He closed his eyes again. He was so fucking tired. Dean sighed. Sam opened his eyes and sat up. "Dean, I don't know what we're up against. But I do know can do it together, whatever we have to do."

Dean stood up. Hands in his pockets, he paced the length of the room. He was feeling emotional and he hated feeling that way. He knew he could be vulnerable around Sam. Hell the chick flick moments they'd been through he couldn't count. He'd come to realize it was okay and his brother wasn't judging him when he did break down. But still this feeling he was going to cry was something he hated.

"Dean." Sam was on his feet as well. In three long strides he was standing in front of his brother. He put his hands on Dean's shoulders. "Look Dean, it's crazy what happened tonight. We don't know what's out there. But right now man, we are safe. We are together. And tonight that's enough." Dean's composure crumbled and the tears he'd been holding back rolled untouched down his face. Sam pulled him for a hug and Dean hugged him back. They stood there for a minute and Sam pulled back, looking into his brother's eyes. "y'good?", he asked.

Dean patted Sam's face. "Yeah. I'm fine." Sam knew he wasn't but it was part of the game. "Maybe we just get some sleep and start over in the morning?"

"That's a good idea.", Sam replied. He knew what would happen though. Dean would just toss and turn and eventually get up if left to his own devices. "Want to watch some tv in my room? Just til you get sleepy?"

The whole idea of not having to be alone was working for Dean. "Sure", he said. "What are we watching? " He followed Sam down the hall.

"Whatever you want. Seriously." Sam would do anything to make Dean feel better right now. They settled themselves on the bed. Sam handed Dean the remote. "Netflix and chill Dean", he said with a small, dimpled smile.

"Ugh. I hate that expression. But okay. He clicked on Netflix and scrolled. He looked at Sam and grinned.

Sam laughed. "Dude seriously? Dr. Sexy M.D.? That's your Netflix and chill? Fine. Whatever. But start from the beginning. I forgot who all the characters are." Dean smiled, selected Season one episode 1 and leaned back on his pillow. Sam did as well. There were lots of things on the horizon but he was content to let his brother have a few episodes of his guilty pleasure if it helped him cope.

Three episodes in Dean's eyes were closed and Sam realized he was almost asleep. He took the remote from Dean's hand and big brother stirred."Go to sleep Dean", Sam shifted a little and surrendered the remote. Sam turned off the tv and turned off the lamp on the nightstand. AS he fluffed his own pillow and started to drift off his brother spoke.

"So much to figure out Sammy."

Sam said, "Yeah Dean. We've got work to do." Dean didn't answer. Sam plumped the pillow one more time. As his brother slept Sam allowed himself to relax. What he said to Dean earlier was true. Right now they were safe. They were together. And for tonight, that was enough.


End file.
